Brainy Barney Frank wields new clout in industry

For its speaker at its annual meeting, the influential Council of Institutional Investors chose none other than Rep. Barney Frank. He didn't build his public persona on the financial issues, but for those in the know, when it comes to financial regulation, he is seen as a brainy and thoughtful thinker. He is very attuned to the burning issues of the day and has proven himself a friend to activist shareholders. His committee oversees the Securities and Exchange Commission, and he introduced a bill requiring companies to include a shareholder vote on executive pay plans in proxies, something the British already do. At the same time, he supports an easing of Sarbanes-Oxley. He is a force in the industry. That much is clear.  

For more:
- here's a Financial Times article